Photo by Siborey Sean on Unsplash
CES 2026 has wrapped up in Las Vegas, leaving behind a trail of groundbreaking gadgets that promise to reshape everyday life, work, and learning environments. TechRadar’s coverage stood out, spotlighting 25 standout devices across categories like smart homes, home theaters, fitness, gaming, and laptops. From a robot vacuum with legs to smart Lego bricks that automate builds, these innovations highlight a shift toward more intuitive, AI-assisted tech. For professionals in higher education, many of these gadgets offer practical applications in research labs, classrooms, and campus facilities, enhancing productivity and student engagement. This article dives deep into TechRadar’s key picks, explores emerging trends, and examines their potential impact on academic settings.
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held annually by the Consumer Technology Association, draws over 130,000 attendees and thousands of exhibitors. In 2026, it emphasized practical AI integration, sustainable designs, and health-focused wearables amid post-pandemic priorities. TechRadar’s roundup, published on January 8, emphasizes devices blending fun with functionality, such as a robovac navigating stairs like a pet and massive TVs pushing display boundaries.
🎯 TechRadar’s 25 Best Gadgets from CES 2026
TechRadar curated a list of the year’s most impressive reveals, prioritizing innovation and real-world usability. Leading the pack is the Roborock Saros Z70, a robotic vacuum with articulated legs and an extendable arm. Unlike traditional wheel-based cleaners, it climbs thresholds up to 6 cm high and uses AI vision to detect and retrieve small objects like socks or cables. Priced around $1,200, it promises to cut cleaning time in busy dorms or faculty lounges by 40%, according to early demos.
Another highlight is the smart Lego system from a startup partnering with the Lego Group. These interconnected bricks feature embedded sensors and motors, allowing voice-activated assembly of functional models like a self-driving car prototype. Ideal for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education, educators can program them via simple apps to teach robotics basics without soldering or coding expertise.
- Big TV innovations: Samsung’s stretchable MicroLED display morphs from flat to curved, turning 2D content into immersive 3D without glasses. At 100 inches, it supports 8K resolution and adapts brightness dynamically.
- IKEA’s Matter-compatible smart lights: Affordable bulbs ($15 each) integrate with any ecosystem, enabling professors to automate lecture hall lighting based on occupancy or time of day.
- Motorola Razr Fold: A clamshell foldable with a 7-inch inner screen and external keyboard accessory, perfect for note-taking during conferences.
Tom’s Guide echoed these with their top 27 picks, including the Withings Omnia AI health mirror that scans vitals like heart rate and body composition while brushing teeth. Such devices could revolutionize campus wellness centers by providing instant health metrics for students under stress.
📺 Home Theater and Display Breakthroughs
Display technology dominated CES 2026, with TechRadar praising advancements in size, flexibility, and transparency. LG unveiled the world’s largest 163-inch OLED TV, but the real buzz was around bendable screens. Samsung’s stretchable MicroLED, demonstrated stretching 1.7 times its original size, uses micro-scale LEDs on elastic substrates. This technology, developed over five years, maintains image quality under deformation, opening doors for curved lecture projections in auditoriums.
Portalgraph’s 3D projector creates holographic images without headsets, projecting real-world scale models for architecture or biology classes. Priced at $2,500, it scans objects via LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and renders them in mid-air using laser interference patterns. CNET noted its potential for uncomfortable intimacy in demos, as viewers interact with lifelike avatars.
These displays integrate quantum dot tech for 100% color volume, far surpassing traditional LCDs. In higher education, lecturer jobs involving visual simulations—like in physics or medical training—stand to benefit, allowing dynamic 3D models that rotate on command.
Read TechRadar’s full TV coverage for specs and pricing.🏥 Health and Fitness Gadgets Revolutionizing Wellness
Health tech took center stage, addressing mental and physical demands on students and faculty. The Withings Omnia mirror uses cameras and biosensors to track weight, metabolism, and even early arrhythmia signs, syncing data to apps for longitudinal studies. At $400, it’s a step up from smart scales, offering dermatological scans too.
L’Oréal’s LED eye mask deploys near-infrared light for 10-minute sessions, reducing puffiness and wrinkles via photobiomodulation—a process stimulating cellular repair. Wearable robots for wheelchair users, like an exoskeleton from a Japanese firm, assist standing and walking, promoting inclusivity in campuses.
- AI-powered fitness trackers with haptic feedback for posture correction during long study sessions.
- Portable ECG patches integrating with smartwatches for real-time monitoring.
- Biohacking wearables measuring neurotransmitter levels non-invasively.
These align with 2026 trends in personalized health, potentially integrated into university health programs. For higher ed career advice on wellness tech roles, such gadgets underscore demand for interdisciplinary experts.
🤖 Robotics and Smart Home Marvels
Robotics evolved beyond vacuums, with CES showcasing legged bots for homes and labs. The Roborock Saros Z70’s biomimetic legs mimic animal gaits, enabling stair-climbing and object manipulation. IKEA’s smart lights form mesh networks for whole-building control, reducing energy use by 30% via adaptive algorithms.
Laundry-folding robots from LG use computer vision to sort and fold clothes, handling 50 items per hour. In academic housing, this frees time for research. Smart Lego extends to modular furniture that reconfigures via app, teaching design principles interactively.
Engadget’s roundup highlights AI companions like karaoke speakers stripping vocals for practice, useful for performing arts departments. These devices leverage edge AI—processing on-device to minimize latency and privacy risks—crucial for secure university networks.
📱 Mobile, Gaming, and Laptop Highlights
Mobility shone with the Motorola Razr Fold, featuring a titanium hinge surviving 400,000 folds. The Clicks keyboard accessory revives physical keys on Android phones, boosting typing speed by 40% for email-heavy professors.
Gaming saw controllers with haptic floors simulating terrain and laptops like the Asus ROG with liquid metal cooling for sustained AI workloads. Trends point to Qi2 wireless charging standardization, ensuring 15W speeds across devices.
For research jobs in computer science, these portables enable field data crunching without outlets.
📈 The 11 Biggest Gadget Trends of 2026 from CES
TechRadar’s trend analysis forecasts beyond AI hype: modular designs for upgradability, health-first wearables, and sustainable materials like recycled ocean plastics in cases. Foldables mature with under-display cameras, while AR glasses slim down for all-day use.
- Legged robotics for uneven terrains.
- Stretchable displays for immersive edutainment.
- AI privacy via federated learning.
- Energy-efficient quantum-inspired chips.
TechRadar’s trends deep dive predicts these dominating retail by mid-year.
🎓 Implications for Higher Education and Academia
These CES innovations extend to universities, where tech enhances teaching and research. Stretchable screens enable interactive anatomy models in med schools, while health mirrors support mental health tracking amid rising student stress—up 25% per recent surveys. Robotic vacuums maintain clean labs, freeing staff for experiments.
Instructors can use 3D projectors for virtual dissections, reducing animal testing needs. For administrators, smart lights optimize energy in aging buildings. Emerging roles in faculty positions and clinical research jobs will demand familiarity with these tools.
Explore postdoc opportunities leveraging AI robotics or apply via university jobs boards.
Looking Ahead: What CES 2026 Means for You
As gadgets hit markets, expect price drops by Q3 2026. Academics should watch for edtech integrations, like smart Lego in K-12 pipelines feeding universities. Share your thoughts in the comments—did any gadget catch your eye for classroom use? Check Rate My Professor for tech-savvy educators, browse higher ed jobs, or get career advice. For recruiters, post a job to attract innovators.
